Boot rack

ABSTRACT

A boot rack consisting of a plurality of parallel spaced bars supported on lets above a drip tray.

United States Patent [1 1 Collins et al.

[ 1 I Oct. 2, 1 973 1,731,738 10/1929 Dressel "211/34 BOOT RACKInventors: Mary M. Collins; James E. Collins,

both of 1046 Hemenway St., Marlboro, Mass. 01752 Filed: June 10, 1971Appl. No.: 151,769

u.s. Cl. 211/34 Int. Cl. A471 7/08 Field 01 Search 211/34, 13, 41,133

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D122,929 10/1940 Seltzer D80/92,228,453 1/1941 Glidden 2,367,218 1/1945 Joyce 211/34 2,928,549 3/1960Neuwirth 211/34 3,589,522 6/1971 Chiodo 211/34 591,377 10/1897 Bunce211/133 X 3,096,008 7/1963 Schumacher.... 211/13 X 3,545,176 12/1970Wheelock 211/13 Primary Examiner-Nile C. Byers, Jr. Attorney-Norman S.Blodgett 571 ABsTiiACT A boot rack consisting of a plurality of parallelspaced bars supported on lets above a drip tray. 1

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures v BOOT RACK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Asubstantial problem is presented in homes and in offices during thewintertime, particularly because of the presence of wet boots and othershoe-covering equipment. Even if protecting trays and the like are usedin the areas where the boots are stored, nevertheless, the boots do notdry out because they lie in the wrong aspect for drainage. Furthermore,the appearance of a large number of boots stacked in a corner of a houseis not satisfactory. Attempts have been made in the past to provide forthe storage of wet, icy, and snowy boots and shoes but, in most cases,these devices have been less than perfectly satisfactory. In many cases,they have been complicated and expensive or capable of storingonly alimited number ofboots. They have been subject to deterioration due towater and chemicals. These and other difficulties experienced with theprior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the presentinvention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide aboot rack capable of storing a large number of boots and the like sothat they will quickly dry.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a boot rack forstoring a plurality of boots neatly.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a bootrack which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, andwhich is capable of a long life of useful service with a minimum ofdeterioration due to corrosion.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a rack for thestorage of boots, shoes, and the like, which is compact and which storesthe articles for a compact appearance and for ease of drainage of meltedsnow and the like.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of partsset forth in the specification and covered by the claims appendedhereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, the invention consists ofa bootrack comprising an upper element made up of a plurality of spacedparallel rods. U-shaped legs are demountably attached to theupper memberto hold it above a drainage tray having a raised periphery for thestorage of drippings. 1

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, wherein are best shown the generalfeatures of the invention, the boot rack, indicated generally by thereference numeral 10, is shown as consisting of an upper member 11supported in a raised position above a tray 12 by a pair of legs 13 and14.

The upper member 11 is generally rectangular in conformation, one sidebeing defined by a tubular bar 15 having downwardly-depending stubs 16and 17 at its ends.

At the other side of the upper member 11 is located a tubular bar 18having at its ends downwardlydependent stubs 17 and 21. The bars 15 and18 are spaced and in parallel; between them extends a plurality of solidrods 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, whose ends are welded to the bars 15and 18 so that they lie in spaced parallel relationship. Finally, asolid rod 28 extends across the undersides of the rods and is welded tothem midway between the bar 15 and the bar 18.

The leg 13 is formed of a solid-rod and is provided with a verticalportion 29 which slips into the end of the tubular stub 16, whileanother vertical portion 31 slips into the tubular stub 17 of the uppermember 11. Midway between the vertical portions 29 and 31 the leg 13 isprovided with a generally arch-shaped intermediate portion 32. The endsof the portions 32 being joined to the vertical portions 29 and 31,respectively, by gently curved transition portions 33 and 34. The leg 14is similar to the leg 13 in'that it is generally U-shaped and hasvertical portions which fit into the tubular stubs l9 and 21 of the bar18.

As is best evident in FIG. 2, the tray 12 is formed of plastic and isprovided with a generally square bottom 35 whose periphery is providedwith an upwardlyextending flange 36 to prevent the run-off of drippings.

FIG. 3 shows the manner in which the vertical portion 29 of the leg 13is inserted into the tubular stub 16 of the bar 15.

The operation of the apparatus will now be readily understood inview ofthe above description. The upper member 11 is assembled with the legs 13and 14, the

vertical portions of each leg being inserted into the tubular stubs l6,l7, l9, and 21 associated with the upper member. This ability todis-assemble and assemble is providedfor ease in packaging, shipping andstorage. The upper member 11 with the legs 13 and 14 assembled is placedin the center of the tray 12 and theassemblage is located in the home oroffice adjacent the entrance. When the user has removed his boots, heplaces them upside down in the boot rack. This is done in the mannershown in FIG..1 for the boot B, the tubular portion of the boot lyingbetween tworods 22 and 23, with'the open upper end facing downwardlytoward the tray 12. The boot iswet or is covered with snow and icewhich, eventually, will melt; this water will run 7 down into the tray.When the boot is supported upside down in this manner, there is no areain which'water can accumulate and remain; even snow'and water on theinterior of the boot will melt and run down into the tray from which itcan be removed from time to time. The rack can be used in the summertimefor the storage in a neat manner of a large number of the tall womensboots which are so much in vogue at the present time. When the rackisdesigned for use with such boots which generally have a very long legportion, it may be desirable to make the legs 13 and 14 quite long, sothat the boot does not strike the tray.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form andconstruction of the invention without departing from the material spiritthereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to theexact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include allsuch as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new anddesired to secure by Letters Patent l. A boot rack for storing wetboots, comprising:

a. an upper member consisting of a plurality of parallel, spaced rods,extending from and being attached to spaced, parallel bars formed oftubular material,

b. legs extending downwardly from the upper member, the legs havingupper straight portions which are slidably removable from the uppermember,

c. means by which the legs can easily be attached to and detached fromthe upper member, including the fact that the bars of the upper memberare provided at their ends with downwardly-extending tubular stubs forengagement with the upper straight portions of the legs, and

d. a tray on which the legs rest and from which the legs can be easilyseparated.

2. A boot rack as recited in claim 1, wherein the legs are formed ofsolid rod material and are generally U- shaped.

3. A boot rack as recited in claim 2, wherein each leg consists of twospaced, parallel vertical portions joined by a gently curved transitionportion to an arched junction portion.

1. A boot rack for storing wet boots, comprising: a. an upper memberconsisting of a plurality of parallel, spaced rods, extending from andbeing attached to spaced, parallel bars formed of tubular material, b.legs extending downwardly from the upper member, the legs having upperstraight portions which are slidably removable from the upper member, c.means by which the legs can easily be attached to and detached from theupper member, including the fact that the bars of the upper member areprovided at their ends with downwArdly-extending tubular stubs forengagement with the upper straight portions of the legs, and d. a trayon which the legs rest and from which the legs can be easily separated.2. A boot rack as recited in claim 1, wherein the legs are formed ofsolid rod material and are generally U-shaped.
 3. A boot rack as recitedin claim 2, wherein each leg consists of two spaced, parallel verticalportions joined by a gently curved transition portion to an archedjunction portion.